The Vaccination Act of 1853 ordered mandatory vaccination for infants up to 3 months old, and the Act of 1867 extended this age requirement to 14 years, adding penalties for vaccine refusal. The laws were met with immediate resistance from citizens who demanded the right to control their bodies and those of their children.[3] The Anti Vaccination League and the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League formed in response to the mandatory laws, and numerous anti-vaccination journals sprang up.

All of them are based on conspiracy theories and a complete distrust of the mainstream. Seems like they would appeal to the same group of people.

Just how, in the entire whole of Heaven, Hell, and the material Universe, does a person such as this call himself a human being and still be able to look at himself in the mirror while committing such acts of complete disrepute?

I just don’t know what to say other than if there was ever an example of someone without whom the world truly would be a better place, Andrew Wakefield is absolutely such a person.

Having been stripped of his medical license, is it not unlawful for Mr. Wakefield to preface his name with the title of "Doctor"?

Well he was stripped in the UK, does he hold a license in the US?

Also if he completed a PhD course, he can be called doctor regardless.

My wife is a DVM graduate from Brazil and while due to professional association protections can't call herself a vet here in Canada, she technically can go by the title of Doctor if she wishes (she doesn't).

Anyone can preface their name with doctor. Even you. I usually greet my friends as Doctor <Last Name>.

As long as you are not doing it to pretend to be a medical doctor, or similarly to pretend to have a doctorate and make money off that claim, it is perfectly legal.

On the other hand you may not claim to be a chiropractor, that is illegal. It’s obviously a good system. /s

What are the leaders of the anti-vax community getting out of their efforts? The only thing I can think of is some mix of savior complex based on their "beliefs" about vaccines. It must be a pretty potent reward.

$ The same reason every flimflam man and quack has had since the beginning of time.

Health experts fear that if these outbreaks continue to flare and splinter, measles will once again circulate continuously in the US.

I think it's important to note that this is NOT just a problem in the U.S. This is a world-wide problem. If one country could wipe it out permanently it wouldn't be in the U.S. now since it was at one time considered eradicated. Every country has a set of people willing to believe.

Now that Wakefield has been run out of academia, he is just a symptom. Going after conspiracy theorists is just a game of whack-a-mole. We have to find a way to educate those who irrationally fear vaccines. Until we do that they will always find another person telling them what they want to hear.

Having been stripped of his medical license, is it not unlawful for Mr. Wakefield to preface his name with the title of "Doctor"?

No. He was stripped of his license to practice medicine, not his degree. As far as I'm aware still has that. Even if he didn't I don't think it's against the law to call yourself a doctor.

I wonder if he could be charged with fraud though - since he is knowingly spreading misinformation and profiting from it.

Yeah Doctor is not MD. He can't call himself an MD without a license to practice medicine. Anyone who has a PHD is a doctor and I really doubt there are any legal restrictions on the use of the term "doctor" as opposed to "medical doctor (MD)".

I know its cruel but I would want someone who is infected with measles to show up at that rally. In short order most of them would be infected. Unless they are hypocrites and have had the vaccination themselves. Which is probably the case.

This stuff, flat eartherism, and climate change denial tend to run in some of the same circles. I feel like we are regressing as a society.

There's some interesting social psychology here.

Basically people in these communities have formed social bonds with other members while simultaneously isolating themselves from those outside the community. This places the bar for accepting the facts that disprove the belief of the community even higher as it creates a massive social cost to "betray" the community in favor of the facts.

If you look at the flat-earther community as an example, there are many social outcasts that have finally found a group of people they can identify with. The echo chamber reinforces their beliefs and the facts are rationalized away as conspiracies. The underlying mechanism that makes it an impenetrable fortress against facts is defense of that social bond.

The same psychology applies to many religious communities as well. People get a legitimate social boon by accepting the beliefs without question. And if you can even make rationalizations that help defend the beliefs against facts, you get rewarded with affection from the community.

I think people have really underestimated the power our need for social acceptance has over us.

I know its cruel but I would want someone who is infected with measles to show up at that rally. In short order most of them would be infected. Unless they are hypocrites and have had the vaccination themselves. Which is probably the case.

They, unlike their children, have parents with non-zero intelligence, and are therefore very likely vaccinated.

It's baffling that people continue to listen to Wakefield. The man is so obviously, transparently evil.

You know the saying about boiling a frog?

Don't dump it in boiling water. Put it in room-temp and turn up the temp slowly. By the time it's too late, the frog doesn't even realize it's boiling.

Similar here. It didn't happen overnight. They fed on the fear, ingratiated themselves with false professions of understanding and concern. Too many fail to realize that con artists don't come out of the blue. They find a perceived need or fear, and they feed on that.

That's the barrier that science advocates need to overcome, that too many refuse to see.

Their actions are nothing less than criminal. I hope there is a special place in hell for these idiots who know better. I would argue that the first amendment does not cover the bullshit they are spewing as it is inherently making everyone less safe and goes contrary to public health policy.

Do what they did with the Anti-Vaxxers who tried this shit during the days of Smallpox in New Orleans.

1. Establish law that those who knowingly walk the streets or allow their children in public areas while unvaccinated will be detained be it for an hour/day in the New Orleans Penal System.2. Note that in order for you to enter said system, regulations stipulate you must be vaccinated.3. Vaccinate asshole and their brood.4. Watch judge throw out promised retribution cases when 1 or 2 of them try to sue.

Yea, seriously....this had to happen during fucking smallpox when it was literally decimating cities because of anti-vaxxers.

In all seriousness, could this not be construed to be some form of inciting violence?

I guess for that we'd first need to classify not vaccinating oneself without proper reason to be a form of assault, but arguably it is, only using biological weapons. (Which doesn't exactly make it seem better)

Also, fuck these asshats

Fuck these assholes, but on the free speech issue - No, and it’s not even close. If you’re looking to take criminal actions, you’re better off going after parents for child neglect. (That’s not without it’s own problems, but the closer you are to the harm, the better the case looks.)

The best solution is the one we’re trying now - remove religious and personal exemptions, require vaccines in all public and private schools. Let’s let that play out for a bit before we escalate this and give the state new tools that will absolutely be turned against Black Lives Matter and other organizations that are critical of police.

What are the leaders of the anti-vax community getting out of their efforts? The only thing I can think of is some mix of savior complex based on their "beliefs" about vaccines. It must be a pretty potent reward.

$ The same reason every flimflam man and quack has had since the beginning of time.

That is for the leaders. All participate in the exclusive us vs them community and excitement of it. It seems exactly like the flat earthers, the queen secretly runs America, lizard people, moon landing hoax, etc.

I think if we introduce vampires and werewolves into the ecosystem, that will restore the night to its former glory of being dark and full of terror. That will give their tiny minds something real to fear and huddle against and restore order to their lives. Also culling.

The rational person in me knows it's cruel and horrible to state that, if someone, say the mother of a child permanently disabled or killed because of these lies, ran up to people like this and lobbed a lit Molotov cocktail in their face, I would ask "Is there video of it? Is it in HD?" But the longer these people keep this shit up, the harder it is to keep that dark little gremlin locked away in my mind.

These people are actively peddling lies and mistruths that actively spread disease, illness, and human suffering. They are making life worse for us. What else is there to say?

Two words: Domestic terrorism.

It's pretty much that simple. The only difference is the means by which it's done.

I'd love to see Wakefield's financials and how many shell companies pay him leading back to someplace in Moscow. This is the exact kind of thing the Russians (or enemies of the West, let's not be picky) would finance to weaken the alliance.

Wrong. According to the current administration, terrorism is only done by brown skinned folks. You can't engage in hate crimes if you are a 'fine (white) person'. Evidence to the contrary be dammed.

I know its cruel but I would want someone who is infected with measles to show up at that rally. In short order most of them would be infected. Unless they are hypocrites and have had the vaccination themselves. Which is probably the case.

Since they are adults they probably had the vaccinations as a child....sadly that means most of them are probably immune to some degree.

What are the leaders of the anti-vax community getting out of their efforts? The only thing I can think of is some mix of savior complex based on their "beliefs" about vaccines. It must be a pretty potent reward.

A) they really believe in their own shit, and that they are under some kind of attack of mainstream whatever. B) they don’t believe themselves but realised it is an easy audience for receiving (large) donations.

Perhaps we are too kind, and the modern medicine too good so that children who got measles have a far higher survival rate compare to the early 1900s. With this measles outbreak happening everywhere, we haven't had any casualties yet.

Does it really need to come down to have people/children die before these morons to prove to them that vaccination is better than death?

EDIT: and I just realized that some people do prefer death... Jesus Christ.

The leading pro-plaguers like Wakefield do it for money and a bit of fame. Jenny McCarthy falls into that category as well.

The average rank and file pro-plague adherent seems to have some kind of hero without a cause fixation. They believe that they, and their small cohort of plucky rebels, are fighting against some evil foe that is out to weaken and enslave them, so they come up with a wacky, desperate plan to launch a torpedo into a tiny opening in the Death Star....hmmm, it sounds like there is no difference between the pro-plague following and the Rebel Alliance. That would make Wakefield...Jar Jar Binks?

The rational person in me knows it's cruel and horrible to state that, if someone, say the mother of a child permanently disabled or killed because of these lies, ran up to people like this and lobbed a lit Molotov cocktail in their face, I would ask "Is there video of it? Is it in HD?" But the longer these people keep this shit up, the harder it is to keep that dark little gremlin locked away in my mind.

These people are actively peddling lies and mistruths that actively spread disease, illness, and human suffering. They are making life worse for us. What else is there to say?

Two words: Domestic terrorism.

It's pretty much that simple. The only difference is the means by which it's done.

I'd love to see Wakefield's financials and how many shell companies pay him leading back to someplace in Moscow. This is the exact kind of thing the Russians (or enemies of the West, let's not be picky) would finance to weaken the alliance.

Wrong. According to the current administration, terrorism is only done by brown skinned folks. You can't engage in hate crimes if you are a 'fine (white) person'. Evidence to the contrary be dammed.

Huh, Timmah McVey is no longer a domestic terrorist?

The New Zealand terrorist had brown skin?

What are you even talking about? Try to imagine that when you pretend that the other side is hitler that you yourself is the one that is wrong. Trump is not hitler. Obama was not hitler, nor was he a king. Bush was not hitler. Clinton was not hitler. Bush was not hitler. Raegan was not hitler. Etc.

You know who was hitler? Fucking hitler. Who was as bad as hitler or worse? Stalin and Mao. Grow up, read some history.

I would never advocate violence, but I also wouldn't feel any sort of unease should Wakefield and his kind go away. Double-plus happy emotions if they died due to complications of one of the various diseases that we have a vaccine for.

The rational person in me knows it's cruel and horrible to state that, if someone, say the mother of a child permanently disabled or killed because of these lies, ran up to people like this and lobbed a lit Molotov cocktail in their face, I would ask "Is there video of it? Is it in HD?" But the longer these people keep this shit up, the harder it is to keep that dark little gremlin locked away in my mind.

These people are actively peddling lies and mistruths that actively spread disease, illness, and human suffering. They are making life worse for us. What else is there to say?

Two words: Domestic terrorism.

It's pretty much that simple. The only difference is the means by which it's done.

I'd love to see Wakefield's financials and how many shell companies pay him leading back to someplace in Moscow. This is the exact kind of thing the Russians (or enemies of the West, let's not be picky) would finance to weaken the alliance.

Wrong. According to the current administration, terrorism is only done by brown skinned folks. You can't engage in hate crimes if you are a 'fine (white) person'. Evidence to the contrary be dammed.

Huh, Timmah McVey is no longer a domestic terrorist?

The New Zealand terrorist had brown skin?

What are you even talking about? Try to imagine that when you pretend that the other side is hitler that you yourself is the one that is wrong. Trump is not hitler. Obama was not hitler, nor was he a king. Bush was not hitler. Clinton was not hitler. Bush was not hitler. Raegan was not hitler. Etc.

You know who was hitler? Fucking hitler. Who was as bad as hitler or worse? Stalin and Mao. Grow up, read some history.

Hate to be that guy, but honestly, it has to get a whole lot worse before people stop listening to these jackasses. We have to see child morality and morbidity rates skyrocket well above where they were prior to the introduction of vaccines before most of these people will get a clue. Even then I'm not sure it will be enough.